Broken

by Blue Cord Dragoon

Chapter 1: Cat Scratch Crush

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Chapter 1: Cat Scratch Crush

“Opal! You come down here right this instant you naughty cat!” Rarity yelled up into the tree that Opalescence had climbed up. The feline was too high in the tree to be retrieved with magic, otherwise she would have been brought down already. Opalescence knew this so she smugly looked down at her owner, yawned, and curled up into a ball to take a nap. Rarity’s face turned red with anger at her pet’s insolence. The unicorn pony kicked the tree with her front hooves to make sure the cat would not ignore her. “I need you, Opal! I have so much work to catch up on but nopony else can help me! Come down here before…”

“Mail’s here!” A voice rang out from behind Rarity.

“Before exactly that happens.” Rarity slumped to the ground in defeat. She had hoped to get a few more dresses done in time for the mail, but thanks to Opalescence’s defiance, she had failed. Still, there were packages that did need to go out, so Rarity turned away from the tree to talk with the mail mare. “Oh, Derpy Hooves, I have a few things…” Rarity was surprised to see that it was not Ponyville’s regular postal pony, but one of her best friends instead. “Rainbow Dash!”

“Hey, Rarity. Got some mail here for you.” Rainbow Dash landed gently as she reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a number of packages.

“But why in Equestria are you delivering the mail?”

“Derpy Hooves flew into a hornet’s nest yesterday. I know, hard to believe, right?” Rainbow Dash said with a sarcastic grin and shoulder shrug. “So she’s off for today and Pony Express asked if I could fill in.”

“Well, please wait just a moment. I have some things that need to go with you.” Rarity grabbed her mail, rushed inside Carousel Boutique, and came back with her out bound parcels. “I’ve had a lot of work pop up recently. Business is normally slow this time of year, but lately I’ve received so many dresses in desperate need of repair.”

“Why?”

“Remember the Grand Galloping Gala last week?” Rarity remarked dryly.

Images of carnage and chaos came flooding back to Rainbow Dash’s mind as she let out a long “Oh”. It was a night that she would never forget, but not for good reasons.

“I was hoping to get more in the mail today, but it seems somepony wants to be a stubborn, selfish kitty!” Rarity exclaimed in the direction of Opalescence, who in return gave her owner a raspberry.

“I can get her down for you.” Rainbow Dash set her saddlebag at the base of the tree. She then flapped her wings and lifted off the ground.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“Then don’t ask and I’ll just do it anyways.” Rainbow Dash flew up and reached out with her hooves to Opalescence. “Come here, Opal. Come to auntie Rainbow Dash.” The pegasus pony gently took hold of Rarity’s pet.

The next thing Rainbow Dash knew, she was on the ground, covered in scratches and holding onto a white furry demon that was clawing and biting her at every opportunity. The cat’s angry shrieks mixed with the cries of pain from Rainbow Dash at a volume so high the melee could be heard in Canterlot.

“Opalescence! Bad cat! Bad cat!” Rarity shouted, her words drowned out by the fray. Rarity knew she had to put a stop to it. She sprinted to her house, retrieved a hose, and pointed it at Opalescence. The unicorn pony turned it on full blast and while she tried to keep the nozzle aimed at her cat, there was no way to keep from hitting Rainbow Dash with the stream. Being deluged with a feline’s most hated substance, water, Opalescence quickly disengaged from the brawl and ran off.

Rainbow Dash remained on the ground, stunned by the ferocity of the small house cat and soaked by her friend’s rescue. Her whole body shook from both the water and her new found fear of Opalescence. She slowly stood up, water dripping from her mane and coat. Looking down at her legs, she saw that her many cuts were bleeding.

“Fluttershy makes it look way too easy.” Rainbow Dash said meekly.

“Oh! You poor dear! Quickly! Come inside with me! We need to get you dried off and bandaged immediately!” Rarity half-led, half-pulled Rainbow Dash inside Carousel Boutique, her unicorn magic bringing the Pony Express saddlebag inside and setting it by the door. She guided the pegasus pony to the fainting couch and helped her sit down. The snow colored mare then retrieved some oversized aquamarine bath towels and, using her hooves, began to dry her friend.

Rainbow Dash started to regain her senses as the soft unicorn-magic woven cotton towels touched her. They were incredibly comfortable and warm. The shock of the incident, along with the dampness in her coat, was taken away with each wipe.

“Thanks, Rarity. I think I can take it from here.” Rainbow Dash took over the chore and finished drying herself off. She felt refreshed until she noticed dull crimson streaks in the fabric. She had stained the towels with her blood.

“Don’t worry about those towels. They just went out of fashion so I shan’t be using them again.” Rarity said to Rainbow Dash, preempting the apologies that the winged equine was already trying to think of.

A first aid kit floated from a cupboard. It opened and out came anti-septic, cotton balls, anti-biotic lotion, and band-aids. Rarity took Rainbow Dash’s hooves in hers as she inspected the damage Opalescence had inflicted.

“These wounds need to cleaned and dressed.” Rarity opened up the bottle of anti-septic and doused a cotton ball with it. “This might sting a bit.” Rainbow Dash winced when the medicated material touched her cuts but she put on a brave face.

“This seems like a lot stuff you’re using for just some scratches.” Rainbow Dash mentioned to her hostess as her injuries were being tended to.

“It’s the least I could do after you tried to help me get Opal out of that tree. I’m so ashamed that she attacked you. You were being so considerate, you certainly did not deserve to be treated like that.” Rarity finished treating the cuts and put away the anti-septic. She prepared the band-aids by applying the anti-biotic lotion to them.

“It’s not your fault, Rarity. Besides, I sort of had to repay you. Remember when you put up with my crazy demands when you made our dresses for the Grand Galloping Gala?”

Rarity stopped what she was doing to look at Rainbow Dash when she spoke. “Which was nothing compared to when you saved my life during the Best Young Flyer Competition, especially after I almost upstaged you. I still feel like such a pony’s rear end for that.”

“Well, you kind of were, but…” Rainbow Dash was silenced by a gentle and well-manicured hoof that lightly pressed against her lips. She locked eyes with Rarity, who had a soft smile on her face.

“Please, Rainbow Dash, allow me take care of you. I owe you so much. I know that you’re a proud pony and don’t want to be fussed over, but you’re far too important to me. You were hurt trying to help me, which means that I must help you in return. Now just sit still and let me apply the band-aids, alright?” Rarity asked in a voice that was calm and demure, but it also conveyed that she would not take no for answer.

The hushed Rainbow Dash was surprised by the soothing effect of Rarity’s kindness. She wasn’t used to such tenderness and was certain that she should do what Rarity asked. She slowly nodded her head to let her friend know that she would do as she was told.

“There’s a good girl.” Rarity moved her hoof off Rainbow Dash’s lips to her cheek and delicately caressed it. The unicorn pony then returned to her work of mending the pegasus pony’s cuts.

A familiar feeling stirred inside of Rainbow Dash. Her pulse quickened and her breathing became faster. Warmth spread within her as she recognized the effects of her body being flooded with endorphins and adrenaline. It was the same feeling she had when she was flying her highest and fastest, a sensation that she enjoyed so much it was the reason she was the flyer she had become. But this time Rainbow Dash was having it on the ground. She had never felt like this before when she was still and she was wondering why. She looked at her friend and found that the longer she gazed at Rarity, the more the tingling inside of her increased.

“This can’t be right, I shouldn’t be feeling like this!” Rainbow Dash thought to herself. But she found herself noticing things about her longtime friend. Things like the blueness of Rarity’s eyes and the lushness of her mane. The melodious tune she was humming while she worked. Rainbow Dash remained in her trance until she noticed the band-aids that were being applied to her wounds, glitter sparkle band-aids.

“Aren’t they gorgeous?” Rarity asked as she affixed the last one, not noticing the disagreeing grimace on Rainbow Dash’s face. “They cost more than the usual bland ones, but they are so stylish that I simply had to have them. I know that you will probably hate them, but you must promise me that you will keep them on your scratches lest they become infected.”

“I…”Rainbow Dash stopped herself as she started to speak. She did hate the band-aids, but she didn’t want to offend Rarity. “I’ll keep them on. I don’t want to get an infection like you said.”

“Thank you, darling.” Rarity gave her friend a smile, but it quickly changed to a worried look. “Oh my, you’re becoming flush. Are you having a reaction to the ointment?”

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash glanced at a mirror and realized that she was blushing heavily. She tried to think of an excuse. “Oh, uh… it’s just that… I’m embarrassed…because…I’m running behind on my mail route! Yeah, that’s it! I need to get back to work! Lots of mail! It ain’t going to deliver itself!” Acting without thinking, Rainbow Dash bolted out the front door, but returned a few seconds later. She had forgotten her saddlebag. “I might need this.” She gave an uneasy laugh as she donned the mail sack and left without saying good bye.

“That was peculiar.” Rarity brought a hoof to her face and pondered aloud. “I wonder, does working for Pony Express make one absent minded?”

* * *

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” Rainbow Dash banged her head against the wall of her house in sync with the mantra. However, since her house was made of clouds, it didn’t produce the desired results of knocking sense into her. Recognizing the futility of her actions, she stopped and sulked her way upstairs. The pegasus pony was so sullen that she actually walked there instead of flying.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t stop thinking about what happened at Carousel Boutique. Her cuts had stopped hurting, but the fluttery feeling that she had in the pit of her stomach hadn’t gone away. She didn’t fully understand it. Rainbow Dash didn’t want to feel this way. Rarity was her friend and that was the way it should stay, shouldn’t it?

The winged equine tried to defeat the emotions that were developing by focusing on the ways that Rarity was different from her. That unicorn pony was so fussy and exacting, she was always trying her latest fashions out on her friends. She was also too prim and proper, detesting anything that was ill-mannered. But the more Rainbow Dash thought about those differences, the faster her heart beat. Rarity was fussy and proper, it was probably the reason why she was so beautiful and ladylike. Rainbow Dash struck herself hard in the face for thinking about Rarity like that.

It wasn’t that Rarity was a mare. Rainbow Dash was attracted to mares instead of stallions, she had long known that. It was because she never had such emotions about one of her friends before. She didn’t know if Rarity felt the same way as she did, or even if she could.

Rainbow Dash entered her bedroom and collapsed on the bed. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotion. She looked to her left and eyed the nightstand that she had assembled out of clouds like her bed. She opened the drawer and saw the makeshift purse that was made out of an ornate cream colored cloth napkin that was taken from the Grand Galloping Gala. She had used it as a satchel to hold a cargo that was also from the palace in Canterlot. With full knowledge of what was in the ad-hoc bag, Rainbow Dash didn’t open it. Instead she just looked at the folded lumpy fabric, the chaos in her heart increasing.

Rainbow Dash turned onto her stomach, watching the sunset in the window. The fiery light from it made her band-aids shimmer. She touched them with her lips, remembering the care and attention that Rarity had put into mending her. She could fight her feelings no longer, and gave into the truth. Rainbow Dash was in love with Rarity.

Despite admitting it to herself, it didn’t bring the peace to her mind that she thought it would. Now that Rainbow Dash knew what the beautiful unicorn mare meant to her, she had no idea on how she should proceed. When she saw Rarity next, what should she say? How should she act? What should she do?

Fatigue gnawed Rainbow Dash. She tried to fight it as if a victory would bring her an answer. In the end, she succumbed to it by laying her head on the pillow, and falling into a deep yet troublesome sleep.

Comments

[The Incredible Werekitty]

Not bad. Not bad at all.

[JustAnotherBadSonicOC]

Me Likey!